My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Baroness Ashton of Upholland) has made the following written ministerial statement in the other place today. "I have today published a consultation paper on the Code of Practice for the Mental Capacity Act. The Act provides a statutory framework to empower people to make decisions for themselves as far as possible and protect vulnerable people who are not able to make their own decisions. A key element for the successful implementation of the Act is the Code of Practice, which provides guidance illustrating how the provisions of the Act should be applied in practical situations. My Department is seeking views on the style and content of the draft Code before final publication".

As part of our work on the future Army structure (FAS), the previous Secretary of State for Defence announced on 16 December 2004, Official Report, column 1795–1800, that there would be a reduction in the number of Royal Armoured Corps and Infantry bands within the Army, and that the band of the Light Division would be reduced by 14 posts, bringing it into line with the rest of the line infantry.

We are now in a position to announce more detail. The reduction in the number of bands in the infantry and Royal Armoured Corps will be achieved in the following manner:

Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) Bands. The following RAC band amalgamations will take place in 2006:

The band of the Hussars and Light Dragoons will amalgamate with the band of the Royal Lancers to form "The Light Cavalry Band".

The band of the Dragoon Guards will amalgamate with the Royal TankRegiment Cambrai band to form "The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band".

Infantry. The following Infantry band amalgamations will take place in 2006:

Scottish Division. The Highland band will amalgamate with the Lowland band to form "The Regimental band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland".

Queen's Division. The Minden band will amalgamate with the Normandy band of the Queen's Division to form "The Minden Band of The Queen's Division".

King's Division. The Waterloo band will amalgamate with the Normandy band of the King's Division to form "The Band of the King's Division".

Prince of Wales's Division. The Clive band will amalgamate with the Lucknow band to form "The Band of the Prince of Wales's Division".

In addition, the band of the Royal Irish Regiment will be disbanded by 31 March 2008. Each line infantry regiment will then be supported by the band that is affiliated to the division of line infantry to which the regiment belongs.

The Territorial Army band in Northern Ireland will be renamed The Royal Irish Regiment band (TA) and its performance capacity will be enhanced to ensure continued provision of military music in Northern Ireland, in combination with programmed visits by Regular Army bands based in Great Britain.

The restructuring of the bands will be achieved without any redundancies amongst bandsmen. Those serving in bands that are to be amalgamated or disbanded will be posted to the remaining bands. However, although members of the existing Territorial Army band in Northern Ireland will take priority, should there be vacancies in The Royal Irish Regiment Band (TA) when it is formed, members of the band of the Royal Irish Regiment and other Regular Army musicians will be able to leave the Regular Army and join it if they wish.

I am today publishing a consultation prospectus announcing our proposals for a long-term, strategic, capital investment programme to provide well-designed, sustainable 21st century primary school buildings at the heart of our communities. This uses the additional investment promised by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget last year. This prospectus sets out the objectives of the programme and consults on proposals for meeting them.

Our children deserve the best start in life. To that end, we have increased capital investment to unprecedented levels for the benefit of pupils, staff and the community. Building schools for the future and academies are already transforming secondary schools. For early years, Sure Start is providing new, modern infrastructure. We have already improved most primary schools, but now turn our attention to their longer-term building needs. It is time to help all local authorities, dioceses and communities to transform their primary schools and primary age special schools across the country.

The programme will enable us to meet a challenging set of objectives.

We will rebuild, remodel or refurbish at least 50 per cent. of primary schools. Within that, we would hope to rebuild or take out of use, as a minimum, at least the 5 per cent. of school buildings in the worst physical condition nationally, and to improve or take out of use the 20 per cent. of the worst condition buildings in our most deprived communities.

Our primary schools need buildings that support high standards of teaching and learning, personalised learning and inclusion, and the provision of a wide range of services to pupils, their families and local communities, as envisaged in "Every Child Matters". We want all primary school buildings to be brought up to a good standard, with improvements to, for example, classrooms, kitchens and dining rooms, or sport and arts facilities. We also want every child and family to have access to year-round, 8 am–6 pm childcare, parenting support, specialist support services, a good range of after-school activities and access to ICT and sports and arts facilities after hours; access to be at their child's primary school or at a school or venue nearby, with supervised transfer arrangements for children.

The primary capital programme will help achieve a number of national strategies already underway. It will support particularly "Every Child Matters: Change for Children", the White Paper "Higher Standards, Better Schools for All" and proposals in the Education and Inspection Bill, and the Primary Strategy. It also brings together the 10-year childcare strategy, workforce strategy, sustainable development action plan, and ICT and extended schools programmes.

An extra £150 million will be available in 2008–09, rising to £500 million in 2009–10. It is expected that investment will remain at that level for around 15 years, subject to future public spending decisions—some £7 billion in total. This could be joined to other capital for primary schools from my Department to create a much larger sum for investment. On top of this could be added: other eligible investment from central Government Departments and agencies; local government investment, receipts and prudential borrowing; as well as contributions from the private sector and others. By joining up this funding and targeting it precisely we will achieve the ambitions of this programme.

All local authorities will benefit from capital allocated by a simple, open formula reflecting pupil numbers and deprivation. Devolved formula capital will still be available for primary schools not directly benefiting from this programme.

Authorities will need to set out how they will transform their primary schools over the long term and how they will target local deprivation from the start. My Department will support authorities that need help with this planning, and will approve all local plans before releasing funding.

We know that well-designed, sustainable buildings can transform how teachers teach and learners learn. We have learned much through developing primary school exemplar designs, and propose to use the current design quality indicators and building standards, which should be applied to all schemes.

We must be ambitious in looking at the best models of procurement and construction, if the programme is to achieve significant efficiency and deliver value for money for the taxpayer. We propose the use of local education partnerships (LEPs) where they will have been set up or, where there are no LEPs, other forms of local authority agreements, partnerships or national framework.

At the heart of national policies for transforming teaching and learning is the effective use of ICT and access to stable, leading-edge technology, as set out in "Harnessing Technology" (2005). National and local plans will need to show how ICT will contribute to achieving outcomes.

We set out what we might expect from national government, local authorities, dioceses, schools and pupils—and the skills and capacity that they will need to make this complex programme succeed. We intend to run regional pilots to test planning, design and procurement issues, to find solutions to joined-up planning and funding, and to showcase good practice.

We are inviting responses to the consultation by 14 June 2006. Copies of the consultation prospectus are available on my Department's website and in the House.

On 19 January 2006 the Secretary of State made an oral statement to the House about arrangements for vetting people working with children, and for barring those who are unsuitable. A written statement on 1 March outlined progress against commitments. In preparation for Report and Third Reading on the Childcare Bill, the following statement outlines the arrangements for ensuring the suitability of childcare workers.

Current Ofsted Registration and Process

Childminders and day care providers for children under eight are required to be registered by Ofsted. The Children Act 1989 requires Ofsted to determine whether someone is "qualified" for registration, and in order to make that determination, Ofsted has to determine that certain people, and premises, are suitable to look after or be in regular contact with children. Section 79B(5A) of the Children Act 1989 states that if a person fails to consent to certain prescribed checks, Ofsted can then deem them to be unsuitable to work with or have regular contact with children under eight. One of the ways Ofsted checks suitability is through enhanced Criminal Records Bureau disclosures. A check with the CRB includes:

a check against the police national computer records;

a check against the Protection of Children Act List (the PoCA list);

a check against list 99;

a check with local police forces, which includes a check against the Sex Offenders Register held by local police forces.

The disclosure includes details of all convictions and cautions a person has including those that, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, are deemed to have been "spent". In addition, an enhanced CRB disclosure may include any additional information from the police that the Chief Constable thinks relevant. This would include cases where a person has not been convicted or cautioned for a sexual offence, but is nevertheless required to register with the police.

Ofsted will not grant registration where it has doubts about the person's suitability, or about the suitability of others connected with an application. Concerns can vary greatly ranging from medical matters, to offences that did not involve children, to offences involving harm to a child. If, after taking into account all the information available Ofsted is concerned about a person's suitability and the risks to children it will refuse registration. Such refusal automatically disqualifies a person from providing childcare.

The CRB and other checks that Ofsted carries out are part of its robust system for preventing unsuitable people from being registered to provide childcare. Ofsted will always investigate further if it has any concerns about an applicant's suitability to work with children.

Registered childcare providers employing staff are required, under the Protection of Children Act 1999, to check the PoCA list—and this is done through an enhanced CRB. The registered person of a setting must have rigorous vetting and recruitment processes in place to ensure their staff are suitable to work with children. It is an offence knowingly to employ someone who is disqualified from working with children. The national standards for childcare state that a provider must ensure that any person who has not been vetted is never left alone with children. Ofsted investigates any concerns it is notified of and takes action against a provider, if necessary, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children. As part of the inspection process, an Ofsted inspector questions the applicant or registered person about their recruitment processes.

Parents

It is vital that parents have access to good information about childcare so they can make informed choices and take responsibility for who they leave their child with.

All Ofsted registered providers have been subject to a range of checks and have a certificate of registration which they are required to display in their setting. Parents can get information from their local authority's Children's Information Service (CIS) on which childcare providers, and the services and facilities childminders and day-care centres offer, are listed.

Information services have a key role in ensuring that parents have appropriate information to help them take decisions on which childcare providers are suitable to look after their children. Information services must be able to explain the differences between registered and non registered childcare and the checks that registered providers and their staff will have undergone. They should guide parents to relevant materials and inform them of the questions they should be asking. The DfES Sure Start booklet "Looking for Childcare" includes the key points that parents may wish to cover in their discussions with prospective providers. Information services should also be able to inform parents of what they should do if they have any concerns about children's welfare or safety whether in the childcare context or not.

The Childcare Bill

The Childcare Bill currently before Parliament will place a legal duty on local authorities to provide information to parents or prospective parents on childcare and other services, facilities or publications which may be of benefit to parents, prospective parents, children or young people. We will ensure that the statutory guidance accompanying the Childcare Bill makes this clear to local authorities. In the meantime, we plan to write to local authorities and information services to highlight the importance of supporting parents to make an informed choice about childcare provision.

Further to this the Childcare Bill will complement the Ofsted registration scheme for the registered childcare sector by providing the option of Ofsted registration (which will include enhanced CRB checks as well as List 99 and PoCA checks for staff) to a wider range of childcare providers such as provision for children over eight and nannies.

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill, introduced in the other place on 28 February 2006 will provide the legislative framework for a new vetting and barring scheme. This will extend the current requirements for vetting of people who work closely with children, and provide a new facility to enable those who want to work with children to undertake the vetting process. Individuals will be committing an offence if they seek to work with children where they are barred from doing so. For the first time, individuals, parents and families (including Direct Payment recipients) will be able to make a "real-time" instant check of whether a prospective employee is barred. This will include the ability to make an instant online check of the barred status of people they are considering employing for activities such as nannying/child care, care provision, or music or personal tuition.

Under the new scheme, where work, either paid and unpaid, involves frequent teaching, caring for or otherwise working closely with children, the employer will be required to check that their employees are not barred from working with children, and they will be committing an offence and will face penalties if they employ a person so barred. This will include those working in childcare not registered by Ofsted. Parents will not be required to check barred status, as for example a parent using a babysitter recommended by a friend may not wish to check the person's barred status. Parents will, however, be empowered as for the first time they will have the option of checking barred status. This will provide the extra reassurances they need to make informed judgments about their childcare provision.

The Bill will ensure that there is the right framework to enable parents, employers and others to play their part in working together to ensure children are better protected.

I am pleased to announce to the House that yesterday in Brussels EU member states agreed to a Commission proposal to lift the ban on the export of beef and cattle from the UK.

The decision yesterday means that the UK will be able to export cattle born on or after 1 August 1996 and beef and beef products derived from cattle slaughtered after 15 June 2005 on the same basis as other member states. This is a significant milestone in our journey to eradicate BSE.

The date for the resumption of such exports will be determined once the Regulation is published in the Official Journal of the European Union. However we expect exports to resume by the end of April or early May.

The protection of public health is of paramount importance and vCJD is a truly terrible disease. I pay tribute to the victims and their families. We will continue to work closely with industry to draw up procedures for exports. The relevant guidance is being finalised and the documents will be published shortly. In particular, we will vigorously enforce the rules relating to the welfare of animals during transport.

Once the Regulation is in force, the UK will be required to remove vertebral column from carcases aged over 24 months as other EU member states, rather than the current 30 months for the UK. The FSA board is considering at its meeting today whether to permit such removal in authorised butchers' shops.

I am today announcing an allocation of £37.5 million for the research into use programme, as part of DFID's new strategy for research on sustainable agriculture. The programme will identify up to 30 research programmes and their findings from DFID's previous renewable natural resources research strategy, based on their potential to contribute to sustained growth and reducing poverty, and will seek to promote their widespread use in Africa and South Asia.

The new strategy is made up of four parts: (i) a new programme to promote the widespread use of research findings from previous work funded by DFID; (ii) four new regional research programmes in Africa and Asia; (iii) new joint programmes with UK Research Councils; (iv) existing support to international research institutions.

DFID is allocating a total of £100 million over five years to fund the three new initiatives as part of the strategy, starting in the financial year 2006–07. Funding for the first two financial years, £40 million, is part of the total £255 million DFID announced for all research in these two financial years.

I am pleased to announce that the United Nations (UN) Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) is being launched officially today, 9 March, in New York. I know that many hon. Members have shown interest in this initiative.

The CERF is a main element of the reforms to the international humanitarian system that I set out in December 2004, and which the UN has since taken forward. The CERF was approved formally by the UN General Assembly in December 2005, as a fund with a medium term target of $500 million, consisting of a pre- existing $50 million loan facility, with a grant facility of up to $450 million to be built up by donor contributions over five years. The CERF will enable UN humanitarian agencies to provide a more predictable and timely response to emergencies by ensuring initial funding from the grant facility is available immediately to support a rapid response to, for example, natural disasters or sharply deteriorating conflicts, and to address critical humanitarian needs in under-funded chronic or slower-onset emergencies, so-called "forgotten crises".

The UK has been at the forefront of efforts to lobby donors for political support for, and contributions to, the CERF. As at 6 March 2006 a total of over $192.7 million has been pledged by 22 countries and one private sector organisation. The UK is the single largest donor, with a contribution of £40 million (about $70 million at current exchange rates) that is in the process of being paid. This will add to the $76.5 million that has already been paid into the CERF by other donors.

The CERF will be administered by the UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), under the management of the UN's Emergency Relief Coordinator, who will be responsible for approving all grant disbursements from the fund. The CERF will report annually to the General Assembly, which will provide overall policy guidance on use of the fund, and an Advisory Group of 12 humanitarian experts will be appointed by the UN Secretary-General as an independent body to advise on operational aspects and performance. Eight of the Group will be drawn from donors, with the other four members being independent experts. The Emergency Relief Coordinator will convene an annual donor consultation, and also liaise regularly with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, regarding use of the CERF.

The CERF will be subject to an annual financial audit by the UN's external auditors, with reports made available to the Advisory Group, and public reporting on donations, expenditures, and CERF-funded programme results will be posted on to a dedicated CERF internet website. The CERF itself will be critically and independently evaluated after the first two years of operation, to review its relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and impact.

I believe strongly that the CERF will make a critical difference in saving more lives and alleviating suffering earlier in future humanitarian crises, by enabling the humanitarian agencies to respond more quickly and effectively. Combined with the other reforms under way, it will significantly improve the international humanitarian system.

Last year the international community agreed a comprehensive development plan to help tackle the huge challenges faced by poor countries and poor people across the globe. Political leaders from the G8, EU, Africa and elsewhere made a number of commitments, including pledges to increase aid by $50 billion a year by 2010 and to implement 100 per cent. debt cancellation for up to 38 of the world's poorest countries. Progress is being made, although there is much further still to go, particularly on trade. The Government's priority is to ensure that commitments made last year are delivered, so that poor people see real improvements in their lives.

This weekend is the first anniversary of the launch of the Commission for Africa's report. One year on, and eight months after the Gleneagles summit, I am depositing in the Libraries of both Houses today a detailed report on what the UK has been doing to take forward the Commission's recommendations and to make sure that the G8's commitments are implemented.

The report highlights particular achievements. These include: the debt relief already being delivered by the International Monetary Fund; the launch of the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) by the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden and Norway, alongside a grant from The Gates Foundation, which will provide $4 billion to fund vaccinations, saving 5 million lives by 2015 and another 5 million after that; the establishment of the UN Peacebuilding Commission to help countries emerging from conflict; and the entry into force of the UN convention against corruption to help developing countries recover plundered assets. In Africa, there has been good progress by the African Union towards establishing an African Standby Force, able to intervene to prevent conflicts at an early stage. Progress is being made in developing a plan to deliver last year's commitment to provide HIV and AIDS treatment to everyone who needs it by 2010.

To help maintain momentum, we are supporting the development of an effective monitoring process, as described in the report. As the UK, the Government has already published a Gleneagles implementation plan setting out the milestones we need to meet to deliver the commitments agreed last year. This has been placed in the Library of both Houses, and will be updated regularly.

On 6–7 March, the Department for International Development co-hosted, with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, an international conference on the development successes in Asia and challenges facing the continent in the coming decade. It followed on from the development commitments made in 2005 at the G8 Gleneagles Summit and UN Millennium Review.

The conference "Asia 2015: Promoting Growth, Ending Poverty" was attended by ministers of finance, planning and development, senior government officials, the private sector, NGOs, academics and other members of civil society from South, East and South-east Asia. Delegates were welcomed by the Prime Minister and the keynote speech was given by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz.

Asia is changing. In the past few years, it has achieved notable development success, with more people having been lifted out of extreme poverty than at any other time in history. Yet there remain immense challenges. Over 650 million Asians, two thirds of the world's poor people, still live on less than $1 a day.

The conference discussed the practical steps required to eliminate extreme poverty in Asia within a generation—to make poverty history—and how to achieve all of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Participants discussed sustaining and spreading high rates of economic growth, overcoming environmental and infrastructure constraints, harnessing the dynamism of the private sector, connecting poor people to economic opportunities, overcoming discrimination and social exclusion, access to basic services such as health, education, clean water and sanitation, and the need for effective governance.

The conference also discussed how to make partnerships more effective, in which aid is only part of the solution.

DFID and the other co-hosts will be considering the results of the conference for their future development relations in Asia.

A copy of the co-chair's conclusions will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Further information on the conference and background documents are available on www.asia2015conference.org.

I have laid before Parliament the Ninth Report of the Independent Monitoring Commission. This is the first report on the security normalisation programme and it covers the first six months of the normalisation period.

When I announced the security normalisation programme on 1 August last year, I stressed that normalisation could only take place in an enabling environment. I have a non-negotiable duty to protect the safety and security of the people of Northern Ireland. I have subsequently made clear that if the security situation changes and there is not, an enabling environment I will not hesitate to ensure that appropriate security measures are in place to safeguard the public in Northern Ireland.

I welcome the IMC's confirmation that the Government have proceeded with normalisation as promised and that they believe this is consistent with Government's obligations to the safety and security of the public. I am confident that the remaining commitments in the first tranche of normalisation will be delivered in the next two months and that the IMC will be able to confirm this in their next report on security normalisation.

I am also pleased to note that the IMC agree that PIRA have taken a strategic decision to follow a political path and that they do not present a terrorist threat or a threat to the security forces.

The hon. Member for Hertsmere (Mr. James Clappison) has been appointed as a substitute Member of the United Kingdom Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of Western European Union in place of the hon. Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Mr. David Evennett).

Following the re-tender of the Coal Health Claims Handling Contract; the contract has been awarded to Capita, the current holder.

The contract is worth £118 million over three years, with provision for extension, and is intended to complete work on virtually all VWF claims by end-2007, and COPD claims by 2009. As part of their bid, Capita have made a number of innovative proposals designed to build on the efficiency measures introduced during the past two years.

It is, of course, imperative that claimants receive their due compensation as soon as possible and, coupled with the fast track procedures now in place, I am confident that this contract will contribute significantly to the early completion of the £7 billion coal health schemes.

Today I am publishing our analysis of responses to the "Coming of Age" consultation that ended on 17 October 2005. The consultation sought views on the draft Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006. Our analysis is available on the DTI website at: www.dti.gov.uk/er/equality/age. There were 392 responses, of which 248 were non-confidential. Copies of those responses are also available on the DTI website.

We have taken into account the responses, and continuing informal consultation with key stakeholders, when finalising the regulations, which I have laid before the House. Subject to the approval of both Houses the regulations will come into force on 1 October.

I have arranged for copies of the report to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

In line with the commitment given in "The Future of Rail" White Paper, I am today launching a consultation document on "Proposals for the Mayor of London's Rail Powers beyond the London Boundary". The Mayor of London is required to promote integrated and economic transport services to, from, and within Greater London. This paper asks for views on whether the Mayor should have the ability to propose changes to rail services within a defined network extending beyond the London boundary, subject to agreed governance arrangements.

These changes will include the ability to buy additional services and propose savings on defined routes, to propose limited changes to train stopping patterns on longer distance services, and to pay for other enhancements, such as station improvements. The paper also asks for views on the application of future agreements on rationalised integrated fares and ticketing on the defined routes.

There is an operational case for extending the Mayor's powers on the defined routes, as a number of the services on the London inner suburban rail network begin or end just outside the Greater London Authority boundary.

Travellers and other stakeholders outside London have a direct interest in proposals which affect their rail services. Those interests should be reflected in the Governance arrangements for any new powers passing to the Mayor. The Railways Act 2005 allows for the appointment of two members representing areas outside London to the TfL board. The consultation will consider how TfL should further engage with stakeholders and obtain agreement from relevant transport authorities outside London in making and pursuing any proposals.

The consultation exercise will run for 12 weeks, and end on May 31. The consultation document can be found on the Department for Transport's website (www.dft.gov.uk) and copies have also been deposited in the House Library.

Today I have published the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) report for 1994–95 to 2004–05. This is a report published under National Statistics arrangements with results that cover Great Britain. Copies have been placed in the Library.

The report shows the position during the financial year 2004–05. It reports on the levels of low-income among all client groups and the progression being made towards reducing poverty.

I am also publishing today our Poverty Progress Report which demonstrates the huge progress we have made in raising aspirations and breaking the cycle of deprivation in Britain. Copies have been placed in the Library.

With income measured in absolute terms, that is compared with 60 per cent. of 1996–97 median income, between 1996–97 and 2004–05 over seven million people have been lifted out of poverty; the number of children living in poverty has fallen by half; the number of working-age adults living in poverty has fallen by over a third; and, over 2 million fewer pensioners are living in poverty.

With income measured in relative terms that are compared with 60 per cent. of contemporary median income, between 1996–97 and 2004–05 there were over 2 million lifted out of poverty. Of which, 800,000 were children, 600,000 were working-age adults and 1 million were pensioners.

We have made significant progress on our journey to eradicating child poverty by 2020, the historic target we set in 1999. However, these figures also show how much more there is to do. We must now redouble our efforts in the years ahead; to focus relentlessly on the remaining barriers that hold people back in a new drive against social exclusion that will enable everyone to share in the nation's growing prosperity.

Seven years on from setting the target of eradicating child poverty within a generation, we remain absolutely committed to our goal. By continuing to target support for those who need it most; by ensuring work for those who can; breaking the cycle of deprivation and working to deliver high quality public services we are building a long-term approach to deliver long-term change. Not just to tackle child poverty—but to offer every individual and every generation the opportunity and support to raise, and fulfil, their aspirations.

I am pleased to announce an increase in the maximum sums payable by the Independent Living Funds.

The maximum weekly payment from the Independent Living (1993) Fund will increase from £420 per week to £455 per week and from £715 per week to £785 per week for the Independent Living (Extension) Fund. The overall maximum limit of the Funds and Social Services input for the first six months of a 1993 Fund application will also increase from £715 per week to £785 per week. These increases will take place from 1 April 2006.

This will provide greater assistance to people with high support needs who wish to live independently in the community.